Drama Queenie wrote:You are a chauvinist of the quaintest kind. About as threatening as Jack Duckworth, you are a harmless relic of that cherished era when things were 'different'. Now get back to drawing a moustache on that page three model

Yes I am aware of that but they don't say "Combined Ireland and northern Ireland team" against Wales for example when talking about them do they? They just say Ireland. While some prods up north might not like it, they're still called "Ireland" and in Irish that can be and usually is "Eire". So you're splitting hairs over a non big deal. Irish people can say Eire and the Ulster prods can say Ireland or a Northern Ireland and Ireland select.

Drama Queenie wrote:You are a chauvinist of the quaintest kind. About as threatening as Jack Duckworth, you are a harmless relic of that cherished era when things were 'different'. Now get back to drawing a moustache on that page three model

The Great Defector wrote:Yes I am aware of that but they don't say "Combined Ireland and northern Ireland team" against Wales for example when talking about them do they? They just say Ireland. While some prods up north might not like it, they're still called "Ireland" and in Irish that can be and usually is "Eire". So you're splitting hairs over a non big deal. Irish people can say Eire and the Ulster prods can say Ireland or a Northern Ireland and Ireland select.

I have never met an Irish rugby fan who calls them anything other than Ireland, North or South, it is what they are called.

Drama Queenie wrote:You are a chauvinist of the quaintest kind. About as threatening as Jack Duckworth, you are a harmless relic of that cherished era when things were 'different'. Now get back to drawing a moustache on that page three model

sure cope, if you know of anyone who has problem with that tell them "dry their eyes" from me.

Drama Queenie wrote:You are a chauvinist of the quaintest kind. About as threatening as Jack Duckworth, you are a harmless relic of that cherished era when things were 'different'. Now get back to drawing a moustache on that page three model

The Great Defector wrote::lol: sure cope, if you know of anyone who has problem with that tell them "dry their eyes" from me.

I imagine most people in the 6 counties - Protestant/Unionist and Catholic/Republican - would have a problem with that as it simply isn't accurate.

And a lot of them are armed and will shoot you

Trust me , the Irish republicans wouldn't. As for the last sentence . You need to read up on norn Iron.

Drama Queenie wrote:You are a chauvinist of the quaintest kind. About as threatening as Jack Duckworth, you are a harmless relic of that cherished era when things were 'different'. Now get back to drawing a moustache on that page three model

Right, this weekend.A stung Ireland to thump a disheartened ItalyEngland to improve and narrowly beat Wales.France to push Scotland all over the park, while we try to run around the outside, France to win a high scoring game.I imagine the result will depend on how the ref runs the scrum, as France are huge and powerful and would be daft not to use the maul at every opportunity.

This was sent to me by a Welsh friend. "England are going to score at least 35 points on Saturday (I have revised that downwards from 40+) and will win at an absolute canter."He was a good player himself and usually a pretty shrewd judge, but I think he's lost it here. Big time. Wales to win a horribly ugly encounter by two clear scores I reckon.Shame, it would be nice if England's test team could emulate the stunning performances by the U20s (mark my words, by this time next year - at the latest - Zach Mercer willl be in the full squad) and the scarily dominant women.Ireland to thump Italy, France reverting to the debacle we have become accustomed to in the past few years, but sneaking an undeserved win against Scotkand.

Bloody hell, Sione Lauaki has been reported dead at 35, he may have had his health issues but that is an awful age to go. He wasn't a great All Black by any stretch, and indeed he was found out at the top level, particularly against Australia, but still it's a shock.

Geezee wrote:RIP Joost. One of the first rugby players that I started to follow closely, so ridiculously handsome and talented, he had it all. Alongside Mike Phillips probably my favourite scrum half.

Forgot to add my thoughts at the time, but the manner such an fervent and combative player could just waste away due to his illness is so desperately sad. He was arguably the best scrum half of his generation.

It's before my time but I've been told, he never came back from Karangahape Road.

Nikki Gradual wrote:. Wales to win a horribly ugly encounter by two clear scores I reckon..

To lose a fantastic encounter by less than a score in the end.

But what a try to lose it to.

Biggar should have put that out but still

A great advert for rugby, a stirring of hope for the Lions with players like that available, but sadly the wrong result.

Jonathan Davies, I think, but I feel for him- one mistake under immense and sustained pressure, and the game was gone.I watched as a (mostly) neutral, and it was a classic NH game.I had thought we might sneak a win against England or Wales this time around, but I dont see it now. They are both on a new level.

One question- why did Wales not get penalised for crossing when they scored? It was a great set piece, but Im sure the Welsh centre crossed in front Williams as he went for the posts.

andymacandy wrote:Jonathan Davies, I think, but I feel for him- one mistake under immense and sustained pressure, and the game was gone

It was. Wales simply went too early and should have held on until Biggar got back in position to kick it. Schoolboy error.Actually, that was not the most amateurish moment of a match that was sprinkled with a good few among all the intensity and brilliance. Prize for "WTF are you doing?" goes to Ben Youngs for throwing a long, looping pass skipping two/three runners when England were just short of the Welsh line so the defence - without being offside – could be nose to nose with the attacking line. Even an 8 year old wouldn't have made that mistake because of the inevitably of an interception. Biggar did well to pick it up, but the ball should have only ever gone close or deep from there. No wonder Care came on straight away after that.I was pleased with the result, naturally, but under no illusions that England were second-best on the day and were completely humiliated in the loose because of their insistence on playing the man instead of the ball (the turnover count was embarrassing and no one should lose from that dominance). That said, like everyone I am sure, I just felt that somehow they might score at the death. The fact that when they finally did it was via the simplest of three-man running-from-deep moves and came down to our "tackling them in the air" expert Daley (he was lucky to get away with it this time even if the player was not far off the deck) skinning his second-rate countryman (Cuthbert), showed that all the intricate stuff of the previous 76-minutes was a bit of a waste of time.It was a hugely invigorating and nail-biting game to watch and there were some stellar performances, but thank heavens Wales took Moriarty off, that sparked the single biggest change of momentum in the game I think.Tactically and kicking-wise I thought both sides made roughly the same amount of mistakes/misses, but you always felt that Wales were not as clinical as England. The whole match was heart vs head and head won.

Talking pointWhat did piss me off more than anything else in the game was the idiot referee agreeing to go upstairs just because because Webb told him he thought he had scored even though the ref had clearly seen that he hadn't and called it right in the first place. What is this now, some kind of player review system like in cricket? Also, what sort of effing dunce makes the ref do that when the replay is just going to show that he is a big fat liar: it can't do him any favours with the ref for the rest of the game. Maybe players should be allowed to insist on a video replay, but there should be some sort of sanction if they are wrong, especially if they are clearly as wrong as that and know it.

andymacandy wrote:One question- why did Wales not get penalised for crossing when they scored? It was a great set piece, but Im sure the Welsh centre crossed in front Williams as he went for the posts.

I thought that too, but let it go. I can no longer tell the difference between what are considered legitimate dummy runners and decoys and blocking or crossing.

andymacandy wrote:Right, this weekend.A stung Ireland to thump a disheartened ItalyEngland to improve and narrowly beat Wales.France to push Scotland all over the park, while we try to run around the outside, France to win a high scoring game.I imagine the result will depend on how the ref runs the scrum, as France are huge and powerful and would be daft not to use the maul at every opportunity.

Well, I can't say we were unlucky, other than to lose so many critical players to injury.I have often worried about how reliant we are on Laidlaw, but Price did a decent job when he came on, and will be fine when he learns to calm down.